Anticipation
by FyreBrande
Summary: A look into Gabriel Andras' life before he joined the Grey Wardens. Dragon Age universe and Grey Wardens belong to BioWare. All characters belong to me.


There were three places on his master's estate that Gabriel loved the most. He loved the armory; working with his father, hearing how that sword was more lightly balanced than this one, or what great deeds had been accomplished by the last to use that axe.

He loved the training ring, taking advantage of the master's recently given permission to practice, teaching himself from what he watched the knights and squires do practically all day long. He was getting good, and this after only a year-and self taught to boot.

He loved the library for one simple-and, to some, odd-reason: There were so many books. Gabriel lived in anticipation of when a task took him to the library, simply for all the books. He couldn't read a single word in any of them, of course. And even if he could, the result if he so much as brushed a finger against the spine of one of the precious leather bound volumes would be double his allotment of chores and half his allotment of food. Considering he barely had the time and energy to practice at the end of the day as it was, he would rather avoid that.

But that didn't mean he couldn't look. And so look he did. That and imagine the adventures and escapades written on the pages. Boyish fantasy collided with the little he knew of Orlesian history to create invincible heroes who saved the day, rescued the damsel in distress, and were richly rewarded for the act. Doubly so if she happened to be a princess. He didn't see the sense of the maiden kissing her savior in thanks, but since it happened in so many of the stories he'd overheard, he supposed it was one of those essential elements. It was still a less than appealing thought, he decided this time as he stared at one of the walls of books, his original errand all but forgotten.

"There are an awful lot of them, aren't there?" a soft voice chuckled behind him.

Caught off guard, Gabriel started and spun around to face the speaker. He found himself nearly eye to eye with a girl not too much older than his thirteen years. Clad in a green silk dress, black hair wound in an intricate bun with a few strategically loosed curls, posture absolutely blade-straight, she was obviously noble. Gabriel vaguely recalled overhearing that the master's sister was coming to live with him and wondered if this was her.

"S-Sorry, m'lady, I'll get back to work," he mumbled, sheepishly rubbing his arm as he felt the heat mount his neck and ears. _Maker, I c__an only imagine what color my face is right about now._

She laughed and shook her head. "No need to apologize. And I won't tell my brother."

So this _was _the sister. He could see the resemblence; even if the master's eyes were blue. "Th-Thank you, m'lady. You're the sister?"

"You're quite welcome, and yes, I am. Didn't you know I was coming?"

"I...overheard some of the other servants talking about it, once or twice. But I work in the armory; I guess it doesn't matter if I knew if you were coming."

"Ah, I see." She smiled. "Well, then," the smile widened as she inclined her head in a polite nod, "Lady Edenne De Marq. And you are?"

"Gabriel. Gabriel Andras. My father's the weapons master." Gabriel stared at the polished floor as he spoke. No member of the Orlesian nobility talked to a servant for any longer than they had to, and he was afraid he'd getting in trouble if the master thought he was bothering Lady Edenne.

"Gabriel." The young woman repeated his name. "It seems to suit you. So, _Gabriel_, what errand brought you from the armory to the library?"

"Oh, the master had a pair of swords commissioned to hang on the wall as decoration, and I was to bring them up when the weaponsmith was finished." Gabriel nodded to the matching swords that lay on one of the tables. "I just...I love all the books, my lady. I couldn't help but look at them."

Lady Edenne gave him a searching look before turning to caress the spines of the books nearest at hand. "Do you have a particular favorite, Gabriel?"

"Oh, no, my lady." He shook his head. "I...I can't even read."

"Can you not?" She made a face. "That does make sense, I suppose. Still, more's the pity. It's not often I find another book lover." Her green eyes lit from the inside. "Would you like me to teach you?"

There were no words to describe his utter shock at the suggestion. "I...what...you..." He shook his head. "No. No, I couldn't, m'lady. The master-"

Lady Edenne made a dismissive gesture with one hand. "You let me handle my brother. If I can get his permission-which I know I can, because I know my brother-would you like me to teach you?"

He was torn. Yes, he wished he knew how to read, but at the same time, every minute of his day was already claimed by one thing or another. "I-I don't know..."

"I really don't mind. I've been here a matter of hours and I can already tell I'll be bored silly without something to occupy my time."

_Well, I could alternate between the sword training and this. _"Well, if you're sure, my lady..."

"Very much so."

"Then, yes, I would like to learn."

She smiled broadly. "Excellent."

Gabriel couldn't help but wonder what exactly had just happened as he made his way back to the armory, his head buzzing with anticipation.

oOo

"For the last time, sister, no!"

"And why not, Beau?" Edenne crossed her arms and glared right back at her older brother across the study. "What could possibly be wrong with my teaching him?"

"Edenne, you are a daughter of nobility, not a...a _governess_ for servants' brats!" Beau crossed the room to rest a hand on her shoulder. "Think of what will be said, little sister. An Orlesian noblewoman teaching a servant to read?" He shook his head. "No, and that is final."

Edenne pulled back from his touch. "Think of how valuable it would make him, dear brother. Elven servants are prized enough as it is. If one of them could read, well," she shrugged, "I can only see that making him more valuable. And many women in Val Royeaux have elven servants who know how to read."

Beau shook his head. "You aren't going to leave this alone until I give into you, are you?"

Edenne met his eyes and replied simply, "I know how to get what I want, Beau."

He sighed, rubbed his forehead. "Fine, then. Teach him. But he has to be done all his other duties first, is that understood?"

"Of course." Edenne pressed a sisterly kiss to his cheek. "Thank you ever so much, brother."

"As if you gave me a choice," Beau muttered under his breath with a wry grin as his sister left the study in a swirl of silk and smiles.

oOo

Gabriel took to reading the same way he did to the use of sword and shield-extremely well. It took careful balancing to fit both into his day, but he managed.

Lady Edenne knew how to keep a boy's interest. The book she was using to teach him was a volume of stories about a valiant chevalier who did many great deeds and won countless battles. Gabriel looked forward to those lessons more than anything, especially after he stopped stumbling over any word more than three letters long.

Sooner than he would have thought possible, he was actually _reading_, without her prompting him every syllable or so. He could _read_. With that realization came a sense of triumph he'd only felt one other time in his life: when the master noticed his potential as a fighter and agreed to let him practice.

"Very good, Gabriel." Lady Edenne smiled in approval when he finished a whole story without stumbling once. "You did an excellent job. Unfortunately, we have to stop now. Beau is having a dinner party, and I must attend."

"I understand, m'lady." He didn't think she minded that much; one thing he'd learned about Lady Edenne was that she loved clothes-the fancier the better. "I need to be going anyway. I haven't had a chance to practice yet today."

"'Practice'? Practice what?" Lady Edenne probed, closing the book and tracing the gilt design on the front cover with one slender finger.

"Fighting, my lady." Gabriel stared at the table. "You brother caught me imitating some of the skills of his knights one day, commented I had potential and said I could practice all I wanted, so long as I finished all my chores and duties first."

"Are you good?" Lady Edenne asked as she stood.

"Still amateur, I'm afraid, my lady," he admitted. "But I shouldn't keep you from your party." He turned to leave.

"Wait. Take this." She held out the book. "So you can practice on your own."

"I can't," Gabriel protested. "The servants aren't supposed to so much as _touch_ the books. It...it would be thought that I stole it."

"Mm. I hadn't thought of that. Here." She plucked a quill free of a nearby inkwell and very carefully wrote on the blank page just inside the cover. "Now it should be alright."

Gabriel had to stare at the words for a moment; her handwriting was thinner and more spidery than he was used to, but then the words became clear. "'For...Gabriel...from Lady Edenne...as a...gift'." He looked up at her. "Thank you." His fingers tightened on the worn leather cover. _Mine. It's __**mine**__._ For a servant who'd never owned a thing-even the threadbare clothes on his back belonged to Beau De Marq-the mere thrill of having something that was _his_ nearly made him explode. And for it to be a book... "Thank you," he repeated in a whisper, actually meeting her eyes this time.

"You're most welcome." She smiled. "Now, we both need to be on our way. I hope you enjoy it, no?"

"Oh, I will, my lady!"

oOo

The excitement of her gift-and the anticipation of reading when he got back to his family's room-gave him extra energy as he moved through the different attacks he knew. There was a new one Ser Geoffrey had used this morning he was trying to imitate, and it wasn't going well. Gabriel knew when to let things go, so he stopped before it became too frustrating, and turned to perfecting moves he already knew.

_Strike, block, parry, dodge...now attack!_ Imaginary enemies fell before the wooden practice blade as Gabriel evaded their blows before landing his own. He knew he was getting better, but he longed for the day the master would allow him to actually spar with someone. Anticipation was half the fun, as the saying went, but he was never going to get any better practicing against wooden dummies and nonexistant opponents.

He'd been at it for the better part of two hours when he turned in a blocking manuever and found Master De Marq watching him.

Breathing hard and almost hoping for a reason to take a break, Gabriel let his arms drop to his side. "Did you need something, my lord?"

"A breath of air that isn't choking on five competing perfumes," the chevalier replied, a faint smile pulling at his lips. "I could hear you down here and wondered how you're coming along."

Gabriel wiped sweat off his forehead with the back of his sword hand. "Well as I can, I suppose, my lord," he replied, eyes on the ground.

"I've been watching for a while. You're actually doing very well. How long has it been since you started?"

"A year." Gabriel shook his head. "I should be better than I am."

"Why aren't you?" His master crossed his arms and raised one dark eyebrow.

"With...with respect, ser," Gabriel hesitated, shifted uneasily, before finishing, "I can only get to a certain point practicing against inanimate or imaginary opponents, my lord."

"Is that a fact?" The raised eyebrow arched higher.

Gabriel nodded, eyes firmly on the sandy floor of the training ring.

"As I hate to see such a talented fighter be wasted, I shall see what I can do to work you in to practice with the squires."

Gabriel's head flew up, his eyes wide. "My lord-"

The chevalier raised one hand. "Understand this, boy, you are still a servant, your duties come first. If I find allowing you to practice in the middle of the day detracts from your attention to your chores, I will not hesitate to retract my permission, is that clear?"

Gabriel nodded, scarcely able to believe what he was hearing. "Y-Yes, my lord," he agreed, tongue nearly tripping over the words.

"Good. Then perhaps you should call it a night and get some sleep, no? You'll have a full day tomorrow."

Another nod. "Of course, m'lord." Gabriel slipped his arm free of the shield's grips and carefully returned it and the practice sword to their proper places as his master left to rejoin his dinner party.

oOo

When Gini Andras checked to see if her boys were asleep that night, she found her oldest curled on his side, one hand fallen on top of the open book that lay next to him. She leaned over to move the volume from the bed, only to relent when Gabriel's fingers tightened defensively. Gini smiled, smoothed back her son's fiery hair, and pressed a kiss to one cheek, noting the flush of anticipation that colored his face even as he slept. "Sweet dreams, love," she whispered.

Had he heard his mother's words, Gabriel would have assured her they were.

_A/N: First look back into Gabriel's pre-Warden past. There will be more coming, with as much as I love him. I just don't know when. I'm working on several different things right now, this just popped in my head after writing Chapter Three of Absence and made it so I couldn't concentrate on anything else until I wrote it down._


End file.
